Kick off the holiday shopping season with your favorite local businesses! The eighth annual Shopapalooza Festival takes place every year in downtown St. Petersburg the Saturday before Thanksgiving and the Saturday after Thanksgiving (aka Small Business Saturday). Admission is FREE. The event is family-friendly and pet-friendly, with lots of free activities and hands-on demonstrations for all ages. Add to the mix: a ton of raffles, sales, swag and giveaways!

WHAT TO EXPECT

130+ Local Artists, Crafters and Small Businesses

Food Trucks and Gourmet Food Products

Children’s Village, filled with games and entertainment sponsored by Great Explorations Children’s Museum (Nov 25)
and La Dee Da Kids Spa (Nov 18 and 25), plus vendors focused on children and families.

You'll find it all at Shopapalooza: gourmet food products, handcrafted jewelry, upcycled art and home decor, vintage treasures, fashion and accessories, and unique gifts for everyone on your list!
Go to our vendor list to see who will be there! shopapaloozafestival.com/vendor-list.html

THE BASICS

Admission is FREE and the event is family- and pet-friendly!

Address for GPS: 198 Bayshore Dr NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701)

How to get there: South Straub Park, in downtown St. Petersburg, is bordered by Beach and Bayshore Drives, between the Museum of Fine Arts and the Yacht Club. We recommend carpooling or taking Lyft, Uber or a cab,

Why 'Palooza: To kick off the holiday shopping season by showcasing the local businesses, artists and nonprofits that make Tampa Bay such an awesome place! The free community festival celebrates the Buy Local! Eat Local! Live Local! movement, and reminds everyone to keep it local not only during the holidays, but every day!

THE MAP + THE VENDORSPlease see attached map file, but keep in mind that the map may be updated and vendors shifted to a different location. For most updated information, check in with the LocalShops1 Info Booth at Shopapalooza! For a list of vendors' websites, please go to shopapaloozafestival.com/vendor-list.html

Shopapalooza 2017 is a production of LocalShops1 with the support and sponsorship of the City of St. Petersburg. The event helps benefit and spotlight local businesses as well as local nonprofits, including our partners Chart 411 and Earth Day St Pete. This year's sponsors include Moorman Photographics, Great Exploration Children's Museum, and La Dee Da Kids Spa. Sponsors for our VIP Party at Kozuba & Sons Distillery include Smokin' J's BBQ.

VENDOR INSTRUCTIONSCheck in at the LocalShops1 station (center of park) to get your space assignment, then unload and park your car before
beginning to set up. You must be completely set up by 9 am. Event starts at 10, but often we get early shoppers!

When to arrive:If you want to drive up to your spot to unload, you must arrive 6 to 7 am; if you plan to unload curbside, arrive 7 to 8 am. If you arrive after 8 am you may be turned away and will not receive a refund. (Please note that if the grass is soggy, the city will NOT allow you to drive up, regardless of what time you arrive. Only exception is for food trucks.)

Where to park: Use the lot on 2nd Ave. NE (formerly the approach to the Pier), or the Sundial parking garage.
It’s only a few dollars for the whole day. Don’t park at the metered spots. You most likely will get a parking ticket!

When to leave: Breakdown starts at 5 pm. Do NOT start breaking down before that. Doing so messes the event flow,
is disruptive to shoppers, is inconsiderate of fellow vendors and may get you banned from participating in future events.

Electricity: If you have not already reserved & paid extra for electricity, plan on going without it. If you have already reserved & paid for it, bring TWO 100-foot outdoor extension cords, tape to secure, and mats to cover it.

Make your booth stand out!
Shopapalooza Festival is the kick off to the holiday shopping season, and the local alternative to tradiditonal Black Friday, so stay with the theme and follow some of the tactics successful retailers use to attract customers:
• Holiday-themed booth display (vintage/retro/earthy looks draw more customers)!
• Black-Friday type deals and markdown bins, in addition to regularly priced merchandise!
• Free raffles (great way to build your email list) and Spin-the-wheel for prizes (company T-shirts, coupons, mugs, etc)!
• Candy attached to brochures or business cards

Let’s get the CROWDS there!
Shopapalooza is being heavily advertised online, in print and in person, including:
• Direct mailing and flier distribution to thousands of tourists and residents along Beach Drive, downtown, the Old Northeast and through the hotels along the beaches
• Print and online ads in local websites and publications
• Thousands of postcards and posters plastered around town
• Major social media advertising campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest
• Email blasts to tens of thousands of shoppers in our e-mail lists and through our promotional partners.

What can you do?
Glad you asked! Promote, promote, promote! If each vendor brings even just 10 shoppers, that’s almost 1,500 extra people! Distribute the postcards at your shop/restaurant, other vendor events, church groups, school groups, etc.
LocalShops1.com/Shopa2017 has links to jpgs and PDFs of posters and postcards, templates of press releases & more!

Shopapalooza is a production of LocalShops1 with the support and sponsorship of the City of St. Petersburg The event helps benefit
and spotlight local businesses as well as local nonprofits, including our partners Chart 411 and Earth Day St Pete. This year’s sponsors
include Moorman Photographics, Great Exploration Children’s Museum, and La Dee Da Kids Spa. VIP Party sponsors include Smokin’ J’s BBQ.

The biggest shopping event of the year is back for a seventh year, with 130+ local artists, shops, food trucks and nonprofits! The event takes place 10 am to sunset Saturdays Nov. 19 and 26, 2016, at South Straub Park in downtown St. Petersburg. Admission is absolutely free and open to the public. Plan to stay a while. In addition to all the amazing vendors along the park's trails, this year's festival features several specialty villages and entertainment:

The Etsy Red Carpet, with more than a dozen local artists and crafters with one-of-a-kind pieces
(Plus dozens more artists also scattered throughout the park)

Also new this year: We're issuing $1,000 in Palooza Bucks, and giving shoppers one or two each, while supplies last, to be spent at participating vendors during Shopapalooza Festival (both days). And one lucky shopper will be awarded a $500 Cash Prize to continue shopping local for the holidays!! To learn more and enter to win, go to LocalShops1.com/Win500.

How to get there and where to park: South Straub Park, in downtown St. Petersburg, is bordered by Beach and Bayshore Drives, between the Museum of Fine Arts and the Yacht Club. (Address for GPS: 198 Bay Shore Dr NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701). There is an open-air parking lot on Second Ave NE, just off Bayshore (along what used to be the Pier approach) and indoor parking garage at the Sundial Garage a couple of blocks away, at 117 Second Street North. Metered street parking is also available. Vendors are asked to leave the metered spaces open for customers.

Why 'Palooza: To kick off the holiday shopping season by showcasing the local businesses, artists and nonprofits that make Tampa Bay such an awesome place! The free community festival celebrates the Buy Local! Eat Local! Live Local! movement, and reminds everyone to keep it local not only during the holidays, but every day!

We do NOT provide tents, tables, chairs, etc. Your vendor fee covers annual membership to LocalShops1 and the space (big enough to accommodate a 10 by 10 tent; for restaurants/food trucks/those who signed up for double space, you get 20 feet wide/frontage, 10 feet deep). Again, you are responsible for tent/table/chairs/etc.

Check in at the LocalShops1 station (corner of Bayshore and 2nd Ave NE) to get space assignment, then unload and park your car before beginning to set up. You must be completely set up by 9 am. Event starts at 10, but often we get early shoppers!

When to arrive: If you want to drive up to your spot to unload, you must arrive 6 to 7 am; if you plan to unload curbside, arrive 7 to 8 am. If you arrive after 8 am you may be turned away and will not receive a refund. (Please note that if the grass is soggy, the city will NOT allow you to drive up, regardless of what time you arrive. Only exception is for food trucks.)

Where to park: Use the lot on 2nd Ave. NE (formerly the approach to the Pier), or the Sundial parking garage. It’s only a few dollars for the whole day. Don’t park at the metered spots. You most likely will get a parking ticket and you will be making it more difficult for shoppers to find parking!

When to leave: Breakdown starts at sunset @ 5:30 pm. Do not start breaking down before that. Doing so messes up the flow of the event, is disruptive to shoppers, and is very inconsiderate of your fellow vendors.

Electricity: If you have not already reserved & paid extra for electricity, plan on going without it. If you have already reserved & paid for it, bring TWO 100-foot outdoor extension cords, tape to secure, and mats to cover it. If you have not reserved and paid for electricity already, plan to go without it.

Let’s get the CROWDS there!
Shopapalooza is being heavily advertised online, in print and in person, including:

Direct mailing and flier distribution to thousands of tourists and residents along Beach Drive, downtown, the Old Northeast and through the hotels along the beaches

Print and online ads in local websites and publications

Thousands of postcards and posters plastered around town

Major social media advertising campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Email blasts to tens of thousands of shoppers in our e-mail lists and through our promotional partners

What can you do?

Promote! Promote! Promote! Tell the world about Shopapalooza on all your social media pages, as well as in e-newsletters/email blasts. Give out the postcards to everyone you know, including friends, family and everyone you do business with (customers as well as vendors/suppliers). Hand them out at other vendor events, social gatherings, networking groups, church groups, and so on. Be excited about the event & verbally convince at least 10 people to come. If each vendor brings 10 people, that's 1,500 more shoppers for everyone!

LocalShops1.com/Shopa2016 has links to everything you need to know, including jpgs and PDFs of posters and postcards, templates of press releases, link to lists of vendors and sponsors & more!

Use the power of social media
* Use hashtag #shopapalooza on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
* Tag @localshops1com + @shopapalooza so we won’t miss your posts
* Invite 500 friends (Facebook limit) to each of the Shopapalooza event pages: Part 1 and Part 2.
* Our Shopapalooza Vendors Group on Facebook is designed to keep you informed and connected with other vendors. (If you’re not in the group, let us know)

Palooza Bucks! We are pumping $1,000 into the Shopapalooza Festival by printing 1,000 Palooza Bucks. If a customer hands you one, treat it like you would treat a $1 off coupon. You may then use the Palooza Buck at another vendor. At the end of the day, if you have a Palooza Buck left you may keep it as a souvenir or return it to Ester Venouziou and she'll give you a dollar!

Make your booth stand out!
The Shopapalooza Festival is the kick off to the holiday shopping season, and the local alternative to tradiditonal Black Friday, so stay with the theme and follow some of the tactics successful retailers use to attract customers:

Holiday-themed booth display

In addition to regularly priced merchandise, have markdown bins and an amazing “Black Friday-esque” special offer. A “10 percent off” sale isn’t much of a draw. Instead, offer a few deals that they just can’t pass up. BOGOs, prize-with-purchase, etc.

This is a long day, and you’ll want to take breaks to keep you going -- and to shop, too! We recommend having
at least one other person there the whole time, and asking friends if they can come even for an hour or two to help.
It’s tough to keep smiling all day long if you’re hungry and tired.

Don’t sit back and play on your phone. Make eye contact with customers, and engage with conversation. Become your brand and that you’re telling your story. People buy from people they like.

Make it easy for shoppers: Label all items with pricing, keep things organized in bins/baskets, and be attentive but not overbearing. Have plenty of change for cash customers and Square/PayPal Reader/etc for credit card customers. Don’t lose a sale by making it difficult for someone to pay you!

Here is a partial list of confirmed Shopapalooza Festival vendors. List will be updated periodically as new vendors come on board.

The event, in its sixth year, also features an expanded artists village, kids' zone, strolling entertainers and a ton more! Admission is free and open to the public!

Shopapalooza takes place 10 am to sunset Saturdays Nov 21 and 28 at South Straub Park on Beach Drive in downtown St. Pete, across from Cassis Restaurant. Admission is FREE. Registration is not required, but if you do you're eligible to win prizes during our holiday giveaways! Sign up at LocalShops1.com/Events.